[06/26/08 - 09:43 AM]Bravo's Hit Franchise Docu-Series "The Real Housewives" Heads South for "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" A special 30-minute preview of the series airs on Wednesday, July 30 at 12 a.m. ET/PT.

[via press release from Bravo]

BRAVO'S HIT FRANCHISE DOCU-SERIES "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES" HEADS SOUTH FOR "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA"

30-Minute Preview Special Airs Wednesday, July 30 at 12 AM ET/PT

NEW YORK � June 26, 2008 � Expanding on the success of the original hit series, "The Real Housewives of Orange County," and the watercooler sensation, "The Real Housewives of New York City," Bravo is heading south for its newest installment, "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." The seven episode series will follow five women from Atlanta's social elite � from NBA and NFL wives to sassy single moms � as they juggle their burgeoning careers and busy home lives with the whirl of the south's hottest city. The announcement was made by Frances Berwick, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bravo.

"Bravo's 'Real Housewives' franchise has resonated with our viewers across the country and we think they will be equally fascinated by the lavish lifestyles and personalities of these Atlanta wives," said Berwick. "They let us peek inside their exclusive, affluent community and see how they live their often dramatic lives and manage families and careers. There is truly never a dull day for them."

An up-close and personal look at life in Hotlanta, "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" follows five glamorous southern belles as they balance motherhood, demanding careers and a fast-paced social calendar, and shows what life is like in the most exclusive areas of Atlanta. These driven and ambitious women prove that they're not just "housewives," but entrepreneurs, doting mothers and classy southern women. These ladies show the world what it takes to live large in some of the hottest zip codes in the south. The Real Housewives of Atlanta are:

� DeShawn Snow � Snow and her husband Eric, captain of the Cleveland Cavaliers, recently moved to their dream home in Alpharetta, GA. Mother to three boys � nine-year-old EJ, six-year-old Darius and five-year-old Jarren, Snow is an active member of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. She exercises her faith by running The DeShawn Snow Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on improving self-esteem in teenage girls. She is a regular on the Atlanta social circuit and extremely active in local philanthropy, sitting on the board of three different charities, all while expertly juggling her busy social calendar with being an NBA wife and keeping up with her boys.

� Kim Zolciak � Zolciak lives in an exclusive gated townhouse community in Duluth, GA with her two children, 11-year-old Brielle and six-year-old Ariana. Zolciak is single, but happily dating with hopes to marry again in the near future. She also has her sights set on fame in the music business as a country singer, and is currently working with Grammy award-winning mega-producer Dallas Austin and will begin recording an album later this year. A staple on the Atlanta scene, Zolciak balances life as a single mom with a vivacious social life.

� Lisa Wu Hartwell � Hartwell, a resident of a luxurious country club community in Duluth, GA, is a busy career woman who wears many hats � she owns her own real estate firm, Hartwell & Associates, a jewelry line called Wu Girls, a baby clothing line, Hart 2 Hart Baby, and juggles a budding acting, modeling and writing career. She's a devoted wife to her husband, NFL player Ed Hartwell, and their three children 13-year-old Jordan, ten-year-old Justin and one-year-old EJ. When she's not running one of her many businesses or running after the kids, Hartwell is very active in Atlanta's social scene.

� NeNe Leakes � Leakes is an active member of Atlanta society. She resides in the upscale Sugarloaf area of Atlanta with her husband Gregg, a successful real estate investor and business consultant, and their two sons, 18-year-old Brice and nine-year-old Brentt. Leakes donates her time to various foundations and is the founder of The Twisted Hearts Foundation, which brings awareness to domestic violence against women. Never one to sit still, the outspoken social butterfly also hopes to open a luxury boutique hotel in the very near future.

� Sheree Whitfield � Single socialite Whitfield, a resident of the exclusive Sandy Springs area of Atlanta, juggles her busy home life with a packed social calendar. She is a busy working mother to three children �Tierra, Kairo and Kaleigh. Whitfield prides herself on her fashion sense, and owned her own upscale clothing boutique � Bella Azul � for years before closing up shop to focus on her next business venture, a clothing line called "She by Sheree." Whitfield is opening a new chapter in her life as a single mom while balancing her entrepreneurial spirit and active social life.

Bravo will air a 30-minute preview special of the series on Wednesday, July 30 at 12 a.m. ET/PT after the rebroadcast of "Project Runway."

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